Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. VI.

Vers. 1. ANd search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.] That is, in the Empire of Babylon, whereof Media was now a part; for this roll now sought for, was found at Achmetha, which was a chief citie in the province of the Medes, vers. 2. And there was found at Ach∣metha in the place, that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, &c. yet it may be they first searched in the house of the rolls in Babylon, but finding it not there, they searched further in other places, and found it at last at Achmetha or Ecbatana, that is in the province of the Medes.

Vers. 3. And let the foundations thereof be strongly laid, the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits.] The height of Solo∣mons Temple was but thirty cubits, 1. Kings 6.2. And the house which king Solo∣mon built for the Lord, the length thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, onely the tower which was over the porch, was one hundred and twenty cubits high, 2. Chron. 3.4. And the porch that was in the front of the house, the length of it was according to the breadth of the house twenty cubits, and the height was one hundred and twenty: and yet it seems not that this Temple which Zerubbabel built, did any way equall

much lesse surpasse the Temple of Solomon, as we may see by that of the Prophet, H••ag. 2.3. Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ••ou see it now? is it not in in your eyes in comparison of it, as nothing? If therefore ••yrus gave libertie to build the whole Temple sixty cubits high; yet either it was not built so high as Cyrus had allowed them to build it; or else, this measure ap∣pointed for the outmost height of the Temple, is meant of that part where it was to be raised highest (according to the pattern of the former house) to wit, the tower of the porch, which was before one hundred and twenty cubits high, 2. Chron. 3.4. and now allowed to be but sixty cubits high; or else, the cubits here meant were the common cubits, whereas in those places in the Kings and Chronicles, the sacred or geometricall cubits were meant. As for the directions here given for the breadth of it, the breadth thereof was threescore cubits, it is manifest that Solomons Tem∣ple was but twenty cubits broad, 1. Kings 6.2. and as manifest it is that the very foundations of this Temple which Zerubbabel built, came farre short of Solomons Temple, chap. 3.12. Many of the priests and Levites, and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men that had seen the first house, when the foundation of his house was laid before their eyes, wept; and therefore was not doubtlesse fourty cubits broader then Solomons, as by this place it may seem: either therefore the cubits in∣tended by Cyrus were not so large as those sacred gcometricall cubits, by which the measure of Solomons Temple was set forth (which is indeed the usuall answer of most Expositours) or else by the breadth thereof here is meant the utmost extent of it, both north and south, and also east and west, (and so the length, as being com∣prehended in the breadth, is not here mentioned) and then indeed this house must needs be farre short of that which Solomon built, whose length alone was sixty cu∣bits, though but twenty cubits broad, 1. Kings 6.2.

Vers. 4. With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber.] Some Ex∣positours conceive that Cyrus in this direction given for the building of the Temple, had respect to the fashion of building used amongst the Persians in their most state∣ly houses or Temples, according to which he thought fit the Temple should be made; but because this direction agreeth so fully with the description of the buildings about the inner court of Solomons Temple, 1. Kings 6.36. And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams; I rather conceive, that it is here meant also concerning the new raising of those buildings about the priests court, that they should be made as formerly, with three rows of great stones, and a row of timber; that is, with three galleries of stone, and one of timber, or three gal∣leries of stone, each of them being covered or floored with timber.

Vers. 6. Now therefore Tatnai, governour beyond the river, &c.] Here begins the decree of Darius, which is now added to that former decree of Cyrus, wherein farre greater encouragement is granted to the Jews for the building the Temple, then ever before, and so the promises of Haggai, and Zachariah, wherewith the encoura∣ged the people to set upon the work, were abundantly fulfilled. The chief cause why Darius afforded them this favour, was because God had enclined his heart thereto; yet because he had married Atossa the daughter of Cyrus, even in that regard he might be the more forward to further the work which Cyrus had begun.

Be ye farre from thence.] That is, meddle not with them to hinder them in their work.

Vers. 12. And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there, destroy all kings and people that shall put to their hand, to alter and to destroy this house of God, &c.] That is, to alter this decree of mine by destroying this house of God which I have appointed to be built.

Vers. 14, And they builded, and finished it, &c. according to the commandment of Cyrus and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.] They that hold the Temple was finished in the sixth yeare of Darius Nothus, they also hold that this Artaxerxes here mentioned, was Artaxerxes Mnemon the sonne of Darius Nothus, and that be∣cause he reigned with his father in this sixth yeare of Darius when the Temple was finished, his father Darius being then imployed in his wars against Secundianus and others, and that therefore it is here said that the Temple was built and finished, ac∣cording to the commandment of Cyrus and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia; but if the Darius here mentioned, were Darius the sonne of Hystaspes (as to many it seems more probable, of which see the note, chap. 4.5.) then by Artaxerxes here, ei∣ther Zerxes is meant the sonne of Darius Hystaspes, that fourth and rich king of Persia, Dan. 11.2. who was also called Artaxerxes and Ahasuerus the husband of Esther, who being made coemperour with his father Darius, therefore it is said, that the Jews builded and finished the Temple, according to the commandment of Cy∣rus and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia; or else, Artaxerxes Longimanus or Longhand, is meant the sonne of Zerxes by Esther, and grandchild of Darius Hystaspes, and that he is here joyned with Cyrus and Darius, because though the fa∣brick it self of the Temple was fully finished long before his reigne, to wit, in the sixth yeare of his grandfather Darius, vers. 15. And this house was finished on the third day of the moneth Adar, which was in the sixth yeare of the reigne of Dari∣us the king; yet it was afterward much beautified, and in that regard finished, by the commandment of this Artaxerxes the sonne of Zerxes, when he gave commission for the building of the walls of Jerusalem.

Vers. 15. And this house was finished on the third day of the moneth Adar, which was in the sixth yeare of the reigne of Darius the king.] Here the time is set down when the fabrick of the Temple was finished, to wit, the third day of the moneth Adar, which was their twelfth moneth, in the sixth yeare of the reigne of Darius; for that it was not quite finished in regard of the beautifying, and happely in regard of the further enlarging of it, is evident from that which was said before, vers. 14. And they builded, and finished it, &c. according to the commandment of Cyrus and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia: since hereby it is plain, that though the fa∣brick of the Temple was finished in the sixth yeare of Darius, as is here said, yet somewhat was done afterwards for the more complete finishing of it in the reigne of Artaxerxes the son or grandchild of this Darius; but how doth this agree may some say, with that which the Jews said to our Saviour, Joh. 2.20. Fourty and six years was this Temple in building; since according to the computation of the most of those historians that lived about these times, Cyrus reigned after he came to the Em∣pire but seven years, and Cambyses but eight years; so that from the second of Cy∣rus when the foundation of the Temple was first laid, to the sixth of Darius Hy∣staspes, and so including all the time wherein the Jews were forced to cease from building the Temple, there will be found not above twenty years; but to this two

answers are given by Expositours: for first, some say that the Jews spake not of the building of the Temple in the time of the Persian kings, but of the building of it by Herod, who did in a manner build it anew; and that was properly the Temple of which Christ then spake: and indeed though Josephus saith that he was not full nine years in building it, yet considering that above thirty years after they were still beautifying and enlarging the Temple, with some addition or other, I see not but that it may be very probably thought that the Jews spake indeed of the building of the Temple by Herod: and secondly, others say that Cyrus reigned after he came to the Empire thirty years, to which if we adde the eight yeare of Cambyses his sonne, and two years of the usurpation of the Magi, as some account, then the sixth yeare of Darius Hystaspes, makes six and fourty years; and if it could be made good out of those that have written the history of these times, that Cyrus reigned so long after he came to the Empire, this answer would fully satisfie.

Vers. 18. As it is written in the book of Moses.] Because Ezra alledgeth here the book of Moses, it may hence appear, that not Ezra (as some have said) but Mo∣ses himself did write those five first books of the Scripture, commonly called the books of Moses.

Vers. 21. And all such as had separated themselves unto them, &c.] That is, such as were become proselytes.

Vers. 22. For the Lord had made them joyfull, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them.] That is, the king of Persia: for since the conquest of the Assyrians by Cyrus, even the Persian kings were also called kings of Assyria, as were before the kings of Babylon, 2. Chron. 33.11. and this phrase of turning the heart of the king of Assyria to them, hath respect either to the hatred of the former kings of Assyria, who did at first subdue the Jews, and carried them captive into Babylon, or else to the late displeasure of Cambyses, who had opposed the rebuilding of the Temple all his time; in his reigne their enemies prevailed, and they could not be heard, but now the Lord had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to favour them, according to that, Prov. 21.1. The kings heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water, he turn∣eth it whithersoever he will.